Heel-breasting machine



E. E. WINKLEY. HEEL .BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 29, 1919- '1 974,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. E.WINKLEY.

HEELBREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2S. 1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr.-12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET?- E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1919.

1,374,869 Patentedv Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETSSHEET 3.

1%zltn 9 5s Jnve ntor E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. I919.

Pa-tented Apr. 12, 1921.

E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29.1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

witness WM)? E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr/12, 192 1., i

9 SHEETS-SHEET 6..

- 2/ 7 12/035 w 7, 6 Invert/ L9!- E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPUCATION -F|LED JAN. 29, 1919. v 1,374,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

67a ZZZ tines 666 Inverpbof E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

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Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

HEEL-BREASTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 12, 192.1.

Application filed January 29, 1919. serial No. 273,845.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. 'WINKLEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essexand State of hiiassachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Heel-Breasting Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper-' tainsto make and use the same.

The present invention relates to heelbreasting machines and has for itsobjects to provide an eflicient and reliable machine for breasting heelsprior to their attachment to the shoe and more particularly to provide amachine of this character which is capable of operating rapidly uponheels of various styles and sizes and which may be adjusted to trim theheel breasts at different angles.

To the accomplishment of these objects and such others asmay'hereinafter appear, the features of the invention relate to certaindevices, combinations and arrang ments of parts hereinafter describedand subsequently defined in the appended claims and which possessadvantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood fromthe following description and the accoInpanying, drawings of thepreferred embodiment of the invention. in which Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevationthereof; Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. t is a fragmental planview of the shine with the upper parts broken away, showing a heelclamped in position for the breasting operation; Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar 'to Fig. l, showing the heel released from the clamping membersafter the breasting operation has been completed; Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevation taken on thaline 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; Fig. 7 is a view partly in section on the line 77 of 4,looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing also the broastingknife together with certain parts associated therewith, in sideelevation, with the knife in its lowermost position; Fig. 8 is asectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig.7

Fig. 9 isa view partly in front elevation and partly in section 011 thesame plane as Fig.

Fig. 7; and Fig. 13 is a sectional view 0 the line 13-13 of Fig. 9.

i The invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in a machinewhich forms one unit of a system of machines for auto maticallyproducing heels and performs its operation upon heels conveyed to itfrom one of the other machines in the system by means of an endlesschain conveyer. The conveyer carries one heel in inverted position oneach link of the chain and is fed intermittently so that each movementwill advance a heel into position for automatic delivery to thebreasting knife, and bring an empty link into position toreceive a heelwhich has been operated upon. The present machine is provided with meansfor removing the heels singly from the conveyer, bringing them into thepath of movement of the breasting knife and then replacing them, afterthe breasting operation has been completed, upon the conveyer.

In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention the machine comprises, ingeneral. a

substantially rectangular frame 16 which supports a'table 18 upon whichthe various operating instrumentalities are mounted, and. across whichtravels the conveyor chain 20, by which the heels are brought to thebreasting machine and removed therefrom after being operated upon; aplurality of cams, by which said instrumentalitiesare actuated, whichare secured to a cam shaft 22 that is journaled in bearings in the frame16 and connected with suitable driving mechanism; a pusher 24 fortransferring a single heel sidewise from the conveyor chain to the table18; a slide 26 in the table 18, on to which the heel is delivered bythepusher 24:, and which subsequently moves the heel, rear end foremost,a predetermined distance at right angles to the direction in which itwas moved by the. pusher 24; a second pusher 28 which is connected witha reciprocating carriage 30 and which advances the heel from the slide26 into position to be operated upon; a breast block 32, over which theheel is fed by the pusher 28 and which is moved upwardly to support thebreast end of the heel and serve as a cutting bed for the breastingknife; a plurality of clamping members 34 which are moved inwardly togrip the heel during the breasting operation; a breasting knife 36,which cuts downwardly toward the breast block 32; a reciprocating cutterhead 38, on which the knife is mounted; a fixed cutter-head frame 40having parallel guideways in which the cutter-head reciprocates andwhich may be angularly adjusted to vary the pitch of the heel breast;means including a presser foot 42 which is frictionally operated by thedownward movement of the cutter-head 38 to aid in clamping the heelduring the breasting operation; an upper heel-carrier plate 44,

which is connected with the carriage 30 and is interposed between thepresser foot 42 and the heel before the former is actuated by thecutter-head; a lower heel-carrier plate 46, which is also connected withthe carriage 30 and which cooperates with the upper heelcarrier plate44, at the completion of the breasting operation to grip the heel andremove it from breasting position; and a third pusher 48 which isconnected to operate simultaneously with the first pusher 24 to finallyreturn the breasted heel to the conveyer chain.

Power is continuously supplied to the machine from a suitable source bymeans of a sprocket chain 50 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which passes over asprocket wheel 52 that is fixed to a drive shaft 54 journaled inbearings on the supporting frame 16. The cam shaft 22 of the machine isdriven continuously from the drive shaft 54 through an intermediateshaft 56 which is also journaled in bearings on the frame 16, and isprovided at one end with a bevel gear 58 that meshes with, a bevel gear60 fixed to the drive shaft 54, while at its opposite end a worm 62 isprovided, which cooperatively engages a worm-gear 64 that is fixed onthe cam shaft.

No means is shown in the drawings for intermittently actuating theconveyer chain. as it may be understood that the machine is associatedwith one or more other machines provided with such means, an example ofsuch machines being disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No.1,102,311, granted July 7, 1914. It should be understood that after eachintermittent movement through the space of one link the chain comes torest in the position shown in the drawings; also that by meansofsuitable positive driving connections which need not be shown ordescribed, the mechanism of the present machine is actuated in timedrelation with the chain, so that its parts perform one cycle ofoperations for each feed movement of the chain.

The conveyer chain 20 is shown as comprising a series of links 68, eachin the form of a flat plate with lateral depending flanges 70. Theseries of links are connected together by pivot rods 72 seated inperforations in the lateral flanges 70, and each rod is provided at itsends with rollers 74. These rollers support that part of the chain whichpasses through the machine, by engagement with a track76 (Fig. 3) on thetable 18. Each chain link is also provided with an upstanding flange 78which is arranged to engagethe breast of the heel to determine theposition of the heel upon the link.

After each heel has been brought to the machineby the advance of theconveyer. it is removed from the chain by a lateral movement which isproduced by means of the pusher 24. This pusher consists of a flat platecarried by an arm 80 (Fig. 3) ex tending from a sleeve 82 which ismounted to slide upon a horizontal rod 84, in order that the pusher maytransfer the heel side-v wise from the conveyer chain to a position onthe slide 26 in the path of the second pusher 28. The rod 84 which isdisposed at right angles to the length of the conveyer chain is fixed atits ends in brackets 86 rising from the table 18, and a bearing 88 onthe table supports the sleeve 82 at a point between the brackets 86. Thesleeve 82 is connected with a reciprocating slide 89 ('Figs. 2, 6 and 8)by means of an arm 90 which extends upwardly from the slide through aslot 92 in the table 18 and is Secured to the sleeve 82 at the oppositeend from the pusher 24. The slide 89 is located beneath the table 18 andmounted to slide longitudinally upon a rod 94 which is parallel to therod 84 and is rigidly supported by downward extensions of the brackets88. The required movement of the pusher 24 is produced by cam mechanismcomprising a cam 98, (Figs 1 and 2) that is fined on the cam shaft 22and has a groove in which is received a cam roll 100 of a ('am'levcr102, one end of which is pivoted at 104 while the opposite end isprovided with a roll 106 that enters a notch 108 in the slide 89. Thepusher 24 feeds the heel on to the slide in the table 18, which isarranged to be operated in connection with the second pusher 28.

After the heel has been transferred on to the slide 26 in the path ofthe second pusher 28, it is advanced into position to be operated uponby the knife 36. During this movement of the heel toward the knife. the

slide 26 and the pusher 28advance together until the movement of theslide is arrestedv by its engagement with the breast block 32,

when the continued movement of the pusher rests its further movement.

' clamping members 34.

transfers the heel from the slide onto the table 18, in the path of thebreasting knife 36. The pusher 28, which moves with the carriage 30, iscarried by an arm 110 (Figs. 1 and 3) rising from the carriage andextending through a slot 112 in the table 18.

The carriage 30 is mounted to slide in a plane parallel to the length ofthe conveyer chain and carries, in addition to the pusher 28, the upperand lower heel-carrier plates 44 and 46, respectively, by which theheels are removed after they have been breasted. At one end the carriage30 is supported by means of lateral flanges 114 on the arm 110,

. which engagethe upper surface of the table 18. The carriage issupported at the opposite end by'a bearing 116 (Fig. 9) on the underside of the table 18, through which slides a longitudinally disposed rod118 which is located at one side of the carriage with its opposite endsfixed in lugs 120 that are formed on the carriage. The carriage 30 isactuated by means of a cam 122. (Figs. 1 and 2,) that is fixed on thecam shaft 22, and has a peripheral groove in which is received a camroll 124 of a cam lever 126, one end of which is pivoted at 128 whilethe opposite end is connected through a link 130 with the carriage 30.

The heel is supported at the beginning of its movement toward the knife36 by means of the slide 26, which is arranged to move toward and awayfrom the breast block 32, in the direction of feed of the conveyer chainand is supported upon ways 132, (Fig. 5) that extendalong the parallelsides of a slot 134 in the table 18, with the upper face of the slideflush with the top of the table so that the heels may be readily fedthereon from the table by the pusher 24. The slide 26 is urged towardthe breast block 32 by means of coil springs 136 (Figs. 5 and 8), oneend of each spring being connected to the under side of the slide andthe opposite. ends of the springs with the table 18. When thepush'er 28,which operates in a plane just above the slide 26, is in the position itoccupies when a heel is being transferred from the conveyer chain bythepusher 24, the slide 26 is held retracted against the tension ofthesprings 136 by means of the engagement of the pusher 28 with the pins138, which project upwardly from the slide behind the pusher. As thepusher 28 is advanced toward the knife 36, thesprings136 are permittedto advance the slide with the pusher until the slide engages the breastblock 32 which ar- Continued advancement of the pusher 28 then feeds theheel along the stationary slide, over the breast block 32, which is thenretracted so that it will. not interfere with the feeding of the heel,and into a position between the The members '34 movement of the pusher.The heel is positioned by the pusher 28 between the clamp ing members 34and supported upon the top of two parallel supporting plates 140 (Figs.

4 and 5) which are secured to the table 18 and extend beneath theopposite sides'of the heel, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the breastportion of the heel lies above the breast block 32 and int-he path ofthe knife 36. V i

In order that the pusher 28 may yield ingly press the heel against therear of the clamping members 34 and so insure the proper positioning ofthe heel longitudinally, the pusher 28 is secured to a rod 142 (Figs. 5and 8) which is mounted with provision for a small amount oflongitudinal movement in a recess in a sleeve 144 which is fixed in thearm 110 of the carriage 30 I the recess, and tendsto force the pusheroperation by means of the two clamping members 34 each of which isshaped to conform to the curved contour of the lateral edge of the heelfrom a point near the breast of the heel to the extreme rear thereof.The clamping members 34 are arranged and actuated in suchamanner that asthey are operated to clamp the heel, each 'member moves through an equaldistance thereby placing the heel laterally in a central position' withrespect to the knife 36and the breast block 32. The clamping members'34move across and are supported by the heel supporting plates 140, and theadjacent portion of the table 18, and are guided in their movementstoward and away from the heel by means 'of a guide strip 150 (Figs. 4, 5and 8) which is secured to the underside of the supporting plates 140and extends between a pair of guide plates 152 (Figs. 6 and 8) which aresecured to the under side of the clamping members 34.

As the clamping members move inwardly to clamp the heel, the breastblocle 32. is raised into contact with the breast portion of the heel.The breast block 32 is arranged to reciprocate vertically in ways 154,as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. That portion of the upper face of thebreast block which lies beneath the heel is shaped to" conform to theconcave contour of the heel seat, so as to provide supportalong theentire breast end thereofand furni'sha cuttingbed for the cutting edgeof the knife 36 which is shaped to fit the conveX upper face of thebreast block. Both the knife and the cutting block are removable and maybe replaced by others of different shapes according to the style of theheel to be op erated upon. The breast block 32 is held in position on abreast block support 166 (Figs.

6 and 7) by means of suitable spring pressed de'tents 168, so that itmay be readily removed from the support when it is de sired to replaceit by another.

In order that the breast block may not interfere with the feeding of theheel from the slide 26 into breasting position, the upward movement ofthe breast block is so controlled that the block does not protrude abovethe table 18 until after the rear of the heel has passed thereover. Theclamping members 34 are brought into clamping position and the breastblock 32 1s raised into position to support the heel, by means of a cam170 which is fixed on the cam shaft 22 and which controls the movementsof suitable actuating mechanisms.

The mechanism for operating the clamping members 34 is described asfollows:

A pair of levers 172 (Figs. 2, 6 and 10) are severally fulcrumed betweentheir ends on studs 174, that project from a cross bar 175 of the frame16, and are operatively connected with the clamping members by means ofrolls 176 (Figs. 5, 6 and 8), a pair of which are carried at the upperend of each lever and enter the spaces between two sets of oppositelydisposed depending lugs 178 on the guide plates 152 of the clampingmembers 34. The levers 172 are operated by means of a toggle (Figs. 10and 11) consisting of links 180 and 182, whlch are connected with eachother by a pivot pin 184 and to the lower ends of the levers 172 by thepivot pins 183. The toggle is operated by means of a link 186 and aspring 188 which is carried thereby. The link 186 is formed with twoparallel sides 190 which embrace the knuckle of the toggle and are eachprovided with a longitudinal slot 192 (Figs. 10 and 11) to receive thepivot pin 184. The parallel sides 190 of the link 186 are connected atthe top by a web 194 and the spring 188 is confined between the web 194and a shoe 196 which engages the upper ends of the toggle links 180and182. The shoe is held in place by a pin 198 to which it is secured andwhich extends through the coils of the spring 188 and through a guidingaperture in the web 194. The lower end of the link 186 is pivoted at 200to an operating lever 202 which is fulcrumed at 204 (Fig. 2) on abracket carried by the frame 16 and is provided at its opposite end witha cam roll 206 which enters a groove in the cam 170. The downwardmovement of the link 186tends to straighten the toggle con- -sisting ofthe links 180 and 182 and to swing the levers 172 so as to bring theclamping members 34 into clamping position, while the upward movement ofthe link 186 causes the clamping members to be moved away from eachother. In order that the same amount of movement shall be imparted toeach of the levers 172 by the toggle, so that the. clamping members 34shall be moved through equal distances, the pivot pin 184 of the toggleis constrained to move in a vertical plane by means of a guideway thatis formed by a pair of parallel vertical ribs 208 (Fig. 11) projectingfrom a bracket which is secured to the cross bar 175, said guidewayreceiving a roll 210 that is carried by the pivot pin 184. With theabove construction, after the downward movement of the link 186 actingon the t0ggle through the spring 188 and the shoe 196 has caused theclamping members 34 to be brought againstthe sides of the heel,continued downward movement of the link 186, which is permitted by itspin and slot connection with the toggle links, will compress the spring188 and put the clamping members under pressure.

The actuating mechanism for operating the breast block 32 comprises abell crank lever 212 (Figs. 2, 6 and 10) which is mounted to swing onafixed bearing sleeve 214 on the cam shaft 22, a link 216 which connectsone arm of the bell crank lever 212 to the cam actuated lever 202 and alink 218 by which the other arm of the bell crank leveris connected tothe bottom of the breast block 32.

By means of the mechanism just described, the lever 202 which isactuated by the cam 170 to move the clamping member also actuates thebreast block 32. The clamping members are moved toward each other andthe breast block is raised in timed relation and the heel is thusclamped and supported in breasting position.)

Before the breasting operation takes place, the retreat of the carriage30 positions the upper and lower heel carrier plates 44 and 46,respectively above and below the clamped heel, but not in contacttherewith, and on the downward movement of the cutter head 38, thepresser foot 42, carried thereby, is operated as hereinafter describedto tilt the upper carrier plate 44 downwardly against the top of theheel and then to press the heel downwardly against the heel sup portingplates 140 and the breast block 32,

thus causing the heel to be more effectively it may be firmly grippedbetween the carrier plates by an upward movement of the lower plate. 1

After the heel is properly positioned and clamped, with its breastportion supported by the breast block 32, and after the carriage 30 hasretreated to the position shown in Fig. 1, the heel is ready to bebreasted by the knife 36, which cuts downwardly toward the breast block.Inasmuch as the heels are advanced into the path of the knife ininverted position, the knife engages first with the top or smaller endof the heel and cuts toward the base or larger end thereof, andconsequently all portions of the stock progressively cut by the knifeare firmly supported by the portions of stock immediately beneath andaclean cut is secured.

The breasting knife 36 is removably secured to the cutter head 38 behinda clamp ing plate 220 (Figs. 7, 8 and 12) by means of bolts 222, whichextend through longitudinal slots in the plate 220 and throughcorresponding slots in the knife 36, the latter extending to the topedge of the knife as shown in Fig. 7. In order that the knife may beadjusted longitudinally and angularly with respect to the cutter-head tobring its cutting edge into proper engagement with the breast block 32,the upper end of the knife is engaged by a shoulder 221 on the clampingplate 220 and adjustment is effected by means of adjusting screws 224 inthe cutter head which bear against the top of the clamping plate. Byloosening the bolts 222 the knife may be removed to be re-sharpened orto permit the insertion of another knife of different shape. The cutterhead 33 is provided with lateral flanges 226 (Fig. 12) which arearranged to slide in parallel guideways 228 formed on the stationarycutter head frame 40. The cutter head frame 46 comprises an invertedU-shaped portion, 229 overhanging the 38, and a laterally extending arm236 which, together with the adjacent leg of the U- shaped portion ofthe frame, is secured to a shaft 232 that is adj ustably fixed inbrackets 234 (Figs. 2 and on the table 18 by means of cap plates 236which are bolted to the brackets 234. By loosening the bolts in the capplates the cutter-head frame 40 may be angularly adjusted so as to varythe angularity of the cut produced by the knife 36. The axis of theshaft 232 lies in the plane of the upper surface of the table 18 so thatthe knife will strike as nearly as possible the same portion of thesurface of the breast block, whatever may be the angular adjustment ofthe cutter-head frame,

The cutter head 38 is actuated by a cam 38 on the cam shaft 22 (Figs. 1and 2). A. groove in the earn 238 receives a cam roll,

240 which is carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 242 that isfulcrumed at 244. The other arm of the lever 242 is bifurcated andprovided with pins 246 which enter a groove 248 in a sleeve 250 that ismounted to slide on the fixed shaft 232 between the brackets 234. Asimilar groove 252 in the sleeve 250 is entered by pins 254 pro jectingfrom the bifurcated end of one arm of another bell crank lever 256 whichis fulcrumed at 258 on the laterally extending arm 2300f the cutter headframe 40. The other arm of the lever 256 is connected by means of a link260 with a cross bar 262 that is secured by bolts 263 to the cutter-head38. With a construction of this sort by which the knife 36 isperiodically reciproc'ated in timed cooperation with the other parts ofthe machine, the cutter-head frame may be adjusted angularly as desired,in order to vary the pitch of the heel breasts, without interfering withthe operative con nections between the cutter-head and its cam 236,inasmuch as the grooved sleeve 250 provides, between the operatinglevers 242 and 256, a pivotal connection, the axis of which iscoincident with the pivotal axis of the cutter-head frame.

It is desirable that the chips removed by the breasting knife bedisposed of so that they will not accumulate in the path of the heels asthey are advanced to be operated upon. To this end the slide 26 is soproportioned that when it is in retracted position, as shown in Figs. 5and 8, there is ample space between the cutting block 32 and the slide26 through which the chips may fall, and the arrangement is suchthat theslide is retracted by the retreat of'the carriage 30 which occurs priorto the descent of the breasting knife. The cutting block 32 is beveledat on the side opposite the slide, to prevent the possibility of anychips being'retained upon the upper surface of the block.

The presser foot 42, which serves to position the upper heel'carrierplate 44 and to aid in clampingv the heel, is adjustably carried at the,bottom of a wedge slide 264 (Figs. 6 and 12) that is provided with a rib265 that is dovetailed in the cuttenhead 38 so that the wedge slide maymove longitudii'ially with respect to the cutter head. In order that thepresser foot may be forced downwardly, as the cutter-head descends, to

engage the upper carrier plate 44, a pair of friction shoes 266 (Fig. 6)are provided on the cutter-head which are pressed by springs 268 againstthe inclined faces of the wedge slide 264, so that the presser foot isfirst moved down against the upper carrier plate 44, forcing the latteragainst the heel, and thereafterthe shoes 266 slip on the inclined facesof the wedge slide exerting increasing downward Pre r eon as the cutterhead continues downward. Each shoe 266 is secured to oneend of a rod 270which slides horizontally in an adjustable screw threaded bearing sleeve272 in a boss 274 on the cutter head, and the springs 268 surround therods 270 and are interposed between the shoes 2% and the en ds ot thehearing sleeves 272. The shoes 266 are held with their inclined faces inalinement with the inclined faces of the wedge slide by the engagementof tongues 276 (Fig. 6.) on the shoes with grooves 278 on the inclinededges of the wedge slide.

The wedge slide 264 is frictionally raised by the upward movement of thecutter head until it strikes a post 280 which projects downwardly fromthe top of the cutterhead frame 40, by means of which the up wardmovement of the wedge slide is arrested, and as the cutter-headcontinues upwardly, the parts are restored to their normal relativepositions as shown in Fig. 6. A pin 282 in the cutter-head 38 below thewedge frame prevents the latter from becoming accidentally disengagedfrom the former.

The presser foot 42 is provided with a tongue 284 (F 8) which enters agroove 286 in the bottom of the wedge slide and the curved top edge ofthe tongue is seated upon the base of the groove which iscorrespondingly curved as indicated at 287, and receives the pressuretransmitted by the wedge slide. The tongue 284 is adjustably fixed inthe groove 286 by means of a bolt 288 which extends through the wedgeslide and through a slot 290 in the tongue 284, and by means of whichthe presser toot may be adjusted to conform to the different angularpositions assumed by the upper heel carrier plate 44, when differentstyles of heels are being operated upon.

After the heel has been breasted it is removed by means of the upper andlower heel carrier plates 44 and 46 to a position in the path of thethird pusher 48. The heel carrier plates are positioned horizontallyabove and below the heel which is to be removed from the breastingposition by the retreat (toward the left in F 8) of the carriage 30,which occurs prior to the operation of the brcastingknite. As thebreasting knife descends, the presser foot 42 engages the upper heelcarrier plate 44, tilting the plate downwardly so as to adjust it to theinclination of the top surface or the heel, and to press it firmlyagainst the heel. Means is provided for holding the plate 44 in itsadjusted position in contact with the heel after the cutter-head rises,and then as the carriage advances again (toward the right in Fig. 8) thelower carrier plate 46 is raised sui'iiciently to coijperate with theupper plate 44 to clamp the heel and the continued movement of thecarriage carries the heel to a position in front of the pusher 48,whereupon the heel is automatically released and deposited upon thetable 18. i

The upper heel carrier plate 44 (Figs. 8, 9 and 13) is mounted withprovision for longitudinal adjustment in a bracket .292 and is securedtherein by a set screw 294. The bracket 292 is pivotally connected, byapin 296, with an arm 298 that is adjustably clamped by means of a bolt309 to a standard 302 rising from the front of the carriage 30 andextendingthrough a slot 304 in the table 18. As best shown in Fig. 13,the pivot pin 296 extends through three upstanding ears 306, 308 and 310on the bracket 292, through elongated slots 312 in two depending ears314 and 316 on the arm 298, which embrace the central ear 308 of thebracket 292, and through two plates 318 and 320. The plate 318 isinterposed between the ear 396 of the bracket 292 and one side of thearm 298 and is provided with a lateral projection 319 which is receivedin a vertical slot 321 in the arm 298 and serves to position the platerelatively to the arm. The plate 320 is interposed between the car 310of the bracket 292 and the opposite side of the arm 298 and ispositioned relatively to the arm by means hereinafter described. Thebracket 292 is normally maintained with its pivot pin 296 at the bottomof the slots 312 in the ears 314 and 316 of the arm 298 by means of aspring 322 which is confinedin a recess in the arm 298 and pressesdownwardly against the central ear 398 on the bracket 292. Anotherspring 324 holds the bracket 292 against a stop shoulder 326 on theplate 320 which limits its upward tilt-inc movement in one direction sothat the plate 42 may be normally maintained in a horizontal position,as shown in Fig. 9. As the carriage 30 retreats toward the left, theupper and lower carrier plates 44 and 48 are brought into theirrespective positions above and below the heel which is to he removedfrom breasting position, each being out of contact therewith. As thepresser foot 42 descends with the cutter-head the upper plate 44 istilted downwardly about the pivot 296 bringingit into coigact wi h thetop of the heel. The plate 42 is locked in its tilted position by theengagement of a pawl 328 with one of a series of ratchet teeth 330 onthe ear 396 of the bracket 292. The pawl 328 is carried at one end of arod 332 which extends through a bearing lug 334 on the plate 318. and isheld in engagement with the teeth 330 by a spring 336 which surroundsthe rod between a head 338 on the rod and a shoulder 340 on the lug Whenthe heel has reached the required position in the path of the thirdpusher 48, the head 338 of the rod 332 strikes a fixed abutment 342which rises from the table 18. and the pawl 328 is moved out ofengagement with the ratchet teeth 330, and the plate 42 is restored toits normal horizontal position by the spring 324.

By loosening the belt 300, the arm 298 may be adjusted angularly so asto increaseor diminish the distance between the plate 44 and the table18, to adapt the plate 44 to operate in connection with heels ofdiflierent heights. When the angular position of the arm 298 is thuschanged, it becomes necessaryto swing the bracket 292 to adjust theangle of the upper carrier plate 44, relatively to the arm 298 so as tomaintain the former in a horizontal position, parallel to the table 18.To this end the plate 320, by

means of which the angular position of the carrier plate 44 isdetermined, is provided with an arouate slot 344, through. which extendsa bolt 346, having a head 348, which is confined in a slot 350 in thearm 298, and a nut 352 by which thebolt may beclamped in any desiredposition in the slot 344. By loosening the nut 352 the plate 320 may beturned about the pin 296 as a pivot to vary the angular position of thebracket 292 and the carrier plate 44, and by tightening the nut 352 theplate 320 may be locked in its adjusted position relatively to the arm298. l fhen the lower carrier plate 46 is raised to cooperate with theupper carrier plate and grip the heel, the upper carrier plate isprevented from tilting about the pin 296 by the engagement of the pawl328 with the ratchet teeth 330 and will be raised bodily against theforce of the spring 322, without changing its angular position. Thisupwarl movement is permitted by the slots 321 and 350 in the arm 298 andby the slots 312 in the ears 314'and 316 of said arm, all of whichextend at right angles to the length of the arm. The heel will then beheld between the upper and lower carrier plates by the force of thespring 322 which acts against the central car 308 ofthe bracket 292.

The lower carrier plate 46 is arranged to move through the slot 304 inthe table 18 and is carried at the top of a post 354, which isbifurcated to straddle the carriage 30 as shown in 8 and 9. The sides ofthe bifurcated portion of the post are guided in vertical grooves 356 onopposite sides of a boss 358 which is formed on the under side of thecarriage 30, and the carrier plate 46 is pu led downwardly towa thecarriage by aspiring 360, so that when the carriage is at the extremelimit of its movement toward the right, as shown Fig. 9, the car rierplate will be retracted below the surface of the table 18. in order thatthe lower carrier plate 46 may be elevated at the proper time tocooperate with the upper carrier plate 44, to grip the heel, 'a roll362'is provided at the bottom of the post 354, between the bifurcated,sides thereof, which travels secured to the cross-bar 175. When'thecarriage is in the position shown in Fig. 9, one end. of the pivoted bar364 rests upon a ledge 370 on the latch 366, so that the bar is tilted,and serves to raise the carrier plate as the carriage moves toward theleft. will be seen that as the carriage approaches the end of itsmovement, a pin 372 which projects from the under side of the boss 358on the carriagestrikesv an abutment 374 on the pivoted bar 364 tiltingthe bar so as to bring its upper edge into a horizontal plane. A ledge376 on the latch 366 is then moved beneath the right hand end of the bar364,

' by means of a spring 378, thus supporting the bar in its horizontalposition. The movemerit of the, latch 366 is limited by the engagementof a stop lug 380 on the latch with a fixed stop 382 on the bracket 369.As soon as the carriage starts to advan'ccytoward the right, the roll362 rides up over a camsurface 386 on the upper edge of the bar 364,forcing the lower carrier plate 46 upwardly thereby raising the heelfrom the supporting plates 140 and causing the upper carrier plate 44 tobe raised bodily and the heel to be securely held between the upper andlower carrier plates 44 and 46 by the force of the spring 322. The heelis then carriedtoward the right and immediately before the carriage 30reaches the limit of its movement, a'pin 388 inthe boss 35,8 strikesagainst an abutment 390 on the pivoted latch 366, swinging the latch soas to move the ledge 376 out from beneath the bar 364, allowing thelatter to fall, whereupon the spring 360 returnsthe lower carrier plate46 to its lowermost position.

he final movement which returns the heel to the conveyer chain 20, isproduced by the third pusher 48. This pusher is secured to one end of ahorizontal rod 392, which is mounted to slide longitudinallyin bearings.

which is parallel to the rod 392 and is fixed in brackets beneath thetable 18. The third pusher 48 is actuatedsimultaneously with the firstpusher 24, and in the opposite 'di rectiombeing connected therewith by alever 404, (Fig. 3) which is fulcrumedat 406 on the under side of thetable'18, The lever 404 is operatively connected at one end of the slideto which is also connected the 1 1 82 that carries the pusher at Y haspassed thereover.

the opposite end the lever 404 is connected to the sleeve 400. The heelis returned by the third pusher 48 to the same link of the conveyerchain from which it was previously removed by the pusher 24.

The various operations of each cycle occur in the following order:

The conveyer chain 20 having advanced in the direction of the arrow inFig. 3 through the space of one link, and thus brought a heel to theposition indicated at 408 in said figure, the pusher 24 moves the heeltransversely from the conveyer, across the table 18, to the slide 26,and concurrently therewith, the pusher 48 moving in the oppositedirection, transfers a breasted heel, which has previously beendeposited in its path by the carrier plates 44 and 46, to the empty linkof the conveyer-chain which is indicated at 410 in Fig. 3, and which isthe same link that said heel had occupied before it was removed by thepusher 24. The carriage 30, together with the pusher 28 then advances,accompanied, during the first part of its movement by the slide 26, andafter the movement of the slide has been arrested, the fresh heel istransferred therefrom by the pusher 28 onto the supporting plates 140beneath the breasting knife. Simultaneously with this advancingmovement, the heel, which was breasted during the previous cycle ofopera tions, is gripped between the carrier plates 44 and 46 and removedto a position in the path of the pusher 48 and there released from thecarrier plates onto the table 18. During the advance ofl. the carriagethe clamping members 34 and the breast block 32 commence to move towardtheir operative positions for respectively clamping and supporting theheel and their movements are so timed that the rear of the clampingmembers arrest the advance of the heel'before the heel is gripped by thesides of the clamping members, and the breast block does not protrudeabove the supporting plates 140 until after the rear of the heel Thecarriage 30 retreats, as soon as it has reached its advanced position,retracting the slide 26 away from the breast block 32 thus providing anopening through which the chips produced by the breasting knife mayfall, and returning the slide into heel receiving position. The retreatof the carriage 30 also positions the carrier plates 44 and 46 above andbelow the heel which is ready to be breasted. In the meantime the heelhas been clamped and supported by the clamping members 34 and the breastblock 32 respectively, and the cutter head has begun to descend. Beforethe breasting operction occurs the presser foot 42 engages and positionsthe upper carrier plate 44. The breasting knife 36 then trims the breasend f t l, the pr s r t t continuing to exert pressure upon the heel asthe knife cuts downwardly. After the heel has been breasted the cutterhead is immediately elevated, lifting the knife and the presser foot andcausing the wedge slide 264 to be returned to its normal position withrespect to the cutter head. The heel, thus breasted, is advanced duringthe succeeding cycle into the path of the pusher 48 and returned to theconveyer at the beginning of the third cycle after its removaltherefrom.

It will be apparent that an extremely efficient mode of clamping andsupporting the heel for the breasting operation has been devised, aswell as a novel and reliable mode of feeding the heels successively toand from breasting position.

The inventionis not limited to the particular arrangement of partshereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompany ing drawings,but may be embodied in various other forms within the scope of thefollowing claims.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and itspreferred embocliment having been specifically described that which isclaimed as new is 1. A machine for operating upon heels having, incombination with a conveyer for advancing the heels, a reciprocatingknife disposedat one side of the conveyer, means for transferring heelsfrom the conveyer into position to be operated upon by the knife, meansfor clamping the heels in said position by engagement with the top andbottom thereof, and means for removing the heels after they have beenoperated upon and returning them to the conveyer. 2. A machine forbreasting heels having, 1n combination with a conveyer for advancingshaped heels, a reciprocating breasting knife disposed at one side ofthe conveyer, means for transferring the heels from the conveyer tobreasting position, means for engaging the curved sides and rear of theheels and holding them while being breasted, and means for removing theheels after they have been breasted and returning them to the conveyer.

3. A machine for breasting heels having, in combination with a conveyerfor advancing the heels, a breasting knife," means for supporting a heelduring the breasting operation, means for transferring the heel from theconveyer to the supporting means, means for removing the heel from thesupporting means after the breasting operation has been performed, andmeans for return ing the heel to the conveyer.

4. A heel'breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, areciprocating carriage, means on the carriage for removing a breastedheel, and other means on the carriage for delivering a fresh heel intobreasting position.

5. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, areciproeating carriage, and a plurality of means on the carriage forseizing and removing a breasted heel and concurrently feeding a freshheel into breasting position.

6. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, areciprocating carriage, a pair of cooperating clamping members mountedon the carriage for gripping the heel and removing it after it has beenbreasted, means operated by the movement of the knife for bringing oneof said members into engagement with the heel, and means operated by themovement of the carriage for bringing the other of said members intoengagement with the heel.

7. A heel-breast1ng machine having, in combination, means for breastinga heel, means for supporting and clamping the heel during the breastingoperation, and means for removing the heel from said supporting meansand depositing it in a definite position.

8. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife,means for laterally clamping a heel to be breasted,

means for gripping the top and the bottom of the heel and removing itfrom breasting position, and automatic means for releasing the heel fromsaid gripping means.

9. A heel-breasting machine having, in

combination, means for feeding heels having concave heel-seats, abreasting knife, means for transferring heels from the feeding means tobreasting position, means for clamping the heels in breasting positionincluding a convex supporting block arranged to be raised intoengagement with the heelseat, and means for returning the heels to thefeeding means after they have been breasted.

10. A machine for breasting heels provided withconcave heel-seatshaving, in combination, means for supporting a heel at the oppositelateral edges of the base, a movable member adapted to be positioned. tosupport the concave heel-seat portion adjacent the breast of the heel,means for actuating said member, means for holding the heel in breastingposition, and means for breasting the heel.

11. A machine for breasting heels provided with "concave heel-seatshaving, in combination, supports upon which the opposite lateral edgesof a heel may rest, a movable support adapted to be brought intoengagement with the concave heel-seat portion adjacent the breast of theheel, said support having a surface which conforms to said portion ofthe heel, means for actuating said movable support, means for firmlyclamping the heel in breasting position, and means for breasting theheel.

:12. A machine for breasting heels provided with a concave heel-seathaving, in combination, a support for the lateral edges of the base of aheel, across which the heel is fed into breasting position,-means risingabove the plane of said support for supporting the breast end of theheel,-means for breasting the heel, and means for feeding the heel intoand out of breasting position. J

13.. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forbreasting a heel, a fixed support upon which the rear of the heel marest while being breasted, means for placing a heel upon said support,and a piogable support for thebreast end of the 14. A heel-breastingmachine having, in combination, stationary supporting means for a heelover which the heel is fed into position to be operated upon, a movablesupport arranged to be brought into position to support the breast endofthe heel during the breasting operation, means for clamping the heelin breasting. position,

means for breasting the heel, and means for feeding the heel intobreasting position and removing it therefrom after it has been breaste15. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, stationarysupporting means for a heel, a normally retracted cutting block shapedto conform to the concavity of the breast end portion of the base of theheel and adapted to be moved intoposition for supporting the breast endof the heel during the breasting operation, a reciprocating knife shapedto fit the contour of the cutting block and arranged to out toward andagainst the cutting block for breasting the heel, and means for holdingtheheel in position to be operated upon.

16. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a supportfor theheels, means for successively advancing heels rear end foremost on tothe support and into breast ing position, a movable member forsupporting the breast end of the heels during the breasting operationand arranged to be raised above the surface of the support after therear end of a heel has passed over said member and thereafter to beretracted out of thepath of the advancingmovement of the succeedingheel, means for breasting the heels, and means for removing the heelsafter they have been breasted.

17. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife,means for actuating the knife, means for supporting a heel,yieldingmeans for feeding the heel into the path of thevbreasting knife,a plurality of clamping'membersfor engaging the opposite sides and rearend of the heel, means for actuating the clamping members so that theywill first serve to arrest the feeding of the heel and subsequently toposition the heel laterally with respect tothe breasting knife and toclamp it firmly in said position, and'means for removing the heel afterit has been breasted.

18. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoehaving, in combination, means for supporting and clamping a heel inposition to be operated upon, a reciprocating knife for trimming theheel breasts, and means for adjusting the angle of stroke of the knifewith respect to the heel to vary the pitch of the heel breast.

19. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoehaving, in combination, a support for a heel, a guide frame pivotallymounted about an axis substantially coincident with the surface of saidsupport, a cutter-head movable in said guide frame toward and from saidaxis, a breast ing knife carried by the cutter-head, a pair of operatinglevers for the cutter-head, and a sliding member having an axiscoincident with the pivotal axis of said guide frame connecting saidlevers so as to permit said frame to be adjusted angularly with respectto the heel to vary the angularity of the cut produced by the breastingknife.

20. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoehaving, in combination, a support for a heel, a reciproeating breastingknife adjustably mounted about a pivotal axis in the plane of thesupport, and means for reciprocating the knife including a plurality ofmembers having a mutual pivotal connection substantially ,co incidentwith the pivotal axis of the knife to permit the angular adjustment ofthe knife to vary the angularity of the cut.

21. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a support for aheel, a reciprocating breasting knife adjustably mounted about a pivotalaxis in the plane of the support and means for reciprocating the knifeincluding a member arranged to operate in the plane of the knife, and asecond member arranged to operate in a fixed plane and operativelyconnected with the first member by means of a pivotal connectionsubstantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the knife to permitangular adjustment of the knife to vary the angularity of the cut.

22. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel in position to be operated upon, a breasting knifeadapted to reciprocate at an angle to the heel so supported, means forreciprocating the knife, a heel carrying slide movable toward and awayfrom said supporting means, means for reciprocating the slide, and meansfor transferring the heel from the slide to the supporting means.

28. A heel breasting machine having, in

combination, means for supporting a heel in position to be operatedupon, means for breasting the heel, a heel carrying slide movable towardand from said supporting means, a pusher for transferring the heel fromthe slide to the supporting means, and means for operating the slide andthe pusher constructed and arranged to cause the slide to be retractedfrom the supporting means before the breasting operation occurs so as topermit the escape between the support and the slide of the chipsproduced by the breasting knife.

24. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel, a plurality of clamping members adapted to engage theopposite sides and the rear of the heel, means for moving said membersinto clamping position, and means for feedgaging the top and the bottomof the heel and removing it after it has been breasted.

26. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel, a reciprocating knife for breasting the heel, meansfor feeding the heel into'the path of the knife, means for positioningthe heel latorally with respect to the knife and retaining it during thebreasting operation, means frictionally operated by the downwardmovement of the knife for engaging the top of the heel and clamping theheel in position, and means for removing the heel after it has beenbreasted. o

27. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel, means for breasting the heel, and cooperating carriermembers for engaging the top and bottom of the heel, respectively, andremoving it from said support after it has been breasted.

28. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for breastingthe heel, cooperating carrier members adapted to engage the top andbottom of the heel, respectively, means for bringing said membersrespectively above and below the heel preparatory to cooperatingthereupon, means for adjusting the upper member to the angle of the topof the heel and for looking it in its adjusted position, means foroperating the carrier member to remove the heel from breasting osition,and means for releasing the heel a er it has been so removed.

29. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a movable heelsupport, means for moving said support'into contact with a portion ofthe heel-seat of a heel to support the heel during the breastingoperation, a plurality of clamping members,

means for yieldingly pressing said members against the sides of the heelto hold the heel during the breasting operation, and means for breastingthe heel.

30. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a stationarysupport for a heel, a movable and normally retracted support adapted tobe brought 1nto supporting engagement with the heel-seat portionadjacent the breast of the heel, a plurality of clamping members forengagin of the heel, means operating periodically in timed relation foractuating said movable support and said clamping members to sup port andclamp the heel respectively for the performance of the breastingoperation, and means for breasting the heel.

31. A heel-breastin machine having, in combination, a movable supportfor a heel, means for bringing said support into position against aportion of the bottom of the heel to support the heel during thebreasting operation, a clampin member for engaging the top of the heemeans for operating said member to clamp the heel against said supportto hold the heel during the breastin operation, and means for breastingthe eel.

32. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel, a reciprocating breasting knife, cooperating carriermembers for gripping the heel after it has been breasted and removing itfrom breasting position, means for moving one of said members intoengagement with the top of the heel prior to the breasting operation andfor pressing said member downwardly against the heel during thebreasting operation, and means for subsequently causing the other ofsaid members to cooperate with the first member to remove the heel.

33. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel,

the sides a reciprocating cutter-head, a breasting knife carriedthereby, cooperating carrier members for ripping the heel and removingit after it as been breasted, means frictionally operated by thedownward movement of the cutter-head for moving one of said members intoengagement with the top of the heel prior to the breasting operation andfor pressing said member against the heel during the breastingoperation, and means forwsubsequently causing the other of said membersto cooperate with the first member to remove the heel.

34. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoehaving, in combination, means for supporting and clamping a heel inposition for the breasting operation, a knife for trimming the heelbreast, means for reciprocating the knife, and a guideway for the knifeadjustable to vary the angle of stroke of the knife and the pitch of theheel breast.

35. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoehaving, in combination, means for supporting a heel in breastingposition, means for firmly clamping the heel during the breasting operation, a knife for trimming the heel breast, means for reciprocatingthe knife, and means for supporting and guiding the knife, saidsupporting and guidin means being adjustable about an axis in the planeofthe upper surface of the heel supporting means to vary the angle ofstroke of the knife and the pitch of the heel breast.

36. A heel breasting machine having, in combination, means forsupporting a heel, means engaging the opposite lateral edges and thecurved rear edge of the heel for clamping the heel firmly in positionfor the breasting operation, a breasting knife, means for reciprocatingthe knife to trim the heel breast, and means for varying the angle ofstroke of the knife and the pitch of the heel breast.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY.

